Investigação do estresse, ansiedade e depressão em mulheres com fibromialgia: um estudo comparativo

AbstractIntroductionDepression has emerged as the most prevalent mental disorder in patients with fibromyalgia. Stress, whose stages are alarm, resistance, near-exhaustion and exhaus- tion, constitutes a physical reaction to a threatening situation.ObjectiveTo investigate the levels of stress, anxiety and depression in women with fibromy- algia, comparing them with those of healthy women.Patients and methodsParticipants were 50 women, 25 with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia ac- cording to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology, and 25 without this diag- nosis, matched for age. Instruments used: Lipp Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults (LISS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).ResultsThe mean age was 49.36 years for the group with fibromyalgia (FM) and 49.20 years for the group without fibromyalgia (non-FM). FM showed a higher incidence of stress (96%) compared with non-FM (5%). The resistance phase was predominant in both groups, FM (42%) and non-FM (100%). In FM there was distribution of the four stages (alarm, resistance, near-exhaustion and exhaustion). The differences between phases in the analyzed groups were significant (p < 0.001). FM showed predominance of psychological symptoms (54%); non-FM did show the same frequency of psychological and physical/psychological (40%) symptoms. Symptoms of state and trait anxiety and of depression in FM were significantly higher, when compared with non-FM (p < 0.01).ConclusionStress index (96%), trait anxiety (over 50) and clinically relevant depression (greater than 20) in FM were relevant. The understanding of the emotional variables in- volved in fibromyalgia is important to define the therapeutic strategy